jveritas, have you read the post by FerkFick giving links to several articles? I thought it was interesting. Here's the post:
Posted by FerkFick to Mark17
On News/Activism ^ 09/04/2005 9:32:55 AM CDT · 82 of 1,004 ^
Yeah, look at this...
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Nine stockpiles of fire-and-rescue equipment strategically placed around the country to be used in the event of a catastrophe still have not been pressed into service in New Orleans, five days after Hurricane Katrina, CNN has learned.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/09/03/katrina.unusedgear/index.html
Tribune staff reports
Published September 2, 2005, 10:24 PM CDT
Frustration about the federal response to Hurricane Katrina has reached Chicago City Hall, as Mayor Richard Daley today noted a tepid response by federal officials to the city's offers of disaster aid.
The city is willing to send hundreds of personnel, including firefighters and police, and dozens of vehicles to assist on the storm-battered Gulf Coast, but so far the Federal Emergency Management Agency has requested only a single tank truck, Daley said.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-050902daley,0,6429273.story?coll=chi-news-hed
Yahoo: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson offered Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco help from his state's National Guard last Sunday, the day before Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. Blanco accepted, but paperwork needed to get the troops en route didn't come from Washington until late Thursday.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050903/ap_on_re_us/katrina_national_guard
Louisiana begged for federal help on Sunday in a formal request
http://gov.louisiana.gov/Disaster%20Relief%20Request.pdf
Preparing America
In the event of a terrorist attack, natural disaster or other large-scale emergency, the Department of Homeland Security will assume primary responsibility on March 1st for ensuring that emergency response professionals are prepared for any situation. This will entail providing a coordinated, comprehensive federal response to any large-scale crisis and mounting a swift and effective recovery effort. The new Department will also prioritize the important issue of citizen preparedness. Educating America's families on how best to prepare their homes for a disaster and tips for citizens on how to respond in a crisis will be given special attention at DHS.
http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/theme_home2.jsp